Playin' Our Song
by y-ye
Summary: "You can step on my feet. Give it a try, it'll be alright!" / In which Hinata has spent a lot of time willingly playing Dance Hall with Natsu, Akaashi was going to be forced to attend a dance without knowing how to dance, and everyone else finds themselves unable to look away.


To be frank, Akaashi was procrastinating. Most of his team would have sworn he was incapable of such a plebeian sin and yet. Yet he knew that he had to learn how to dance soon and he wasn't putting in any effort at all. Some might brush it off as he was busy with the massive training camp with Nekoma and Karasuno but he knew better. He didn't want to dance, okay, he just wanted to get through school and volleyball and Bokuto's moods in one piece, never mind the parties his parents threw.

He'd mostly been able to avoid the dratted formalities such as dancing before but his father was strongly hinting that if he didn't at least waltz with two or three of the girls who would drift to him there would be serious consequences... Such as formal dance lessons taking the place of his volleyball practices. Ugh.

Oh sure, sometimes he'd look at basic videos of people demonstrating how to, but he never practiced. In fact, that was what he was doing right now. It was a rare moment of quiet in the locker room and he was taking advantage of that to at least think about learning. Because it was so quiet he hadn't bothered to check if anyone else was in here.

Actually, that was how Hinata snuck up on him in three... two... one.

"Oh hey, what's that?" And Akaashi jumped slightly, fingers fumbling to keep his phone from dropping onto the bence. Glancing to his left, there was Hinata, bright orange locks slightly obscuring his vision as the boy leaned down and braced a hand on his shoulder. "'How to Waltz'. Kinda pointless without the audio on so you can get the timing, but hey, if it works for you!"

"Timing?"

"Well, yeah! You gotta follow the rhythm. Natsu says it's the whole point, so I believe her." Nodding to himself, he glanced up from the screen to Akaashi's eyes. "So you're trying to learn how, Akaashi? You going to a school dance or something?"

"My parents are hosting an event in a week. I'm supposed to dance because that's what a good host does, or... Something." He didn't like to think his parents were trying to urge a status relationship, but it was entirely possible.

"Ooooh. So you don't know how?" Akaashi lowered his eyelashes, staring at the video in brooding silence. "I could help teach you!"

"You could?" Looking up at Hinata's face, he noted the sincere determination there.

"Of course! Let's start now, gimme that," And suddenly Hinata was plucking the phone out of his hands, fingers tapping the screen while he chewed on his bottom lip. Akaashi caught himself staring at the way Hinata moved and turned away, flush creeping up the back of his neck. This was no time to ogle the cute first year from Karasuno. Suddenly there was a soft classical piece with a steady beat echoing from his phone. Hinata grinned and set it aside.

"Hmm. Okay, we'll just dance around the bench, there's enough room." Allowing himself to be pulled up, he now looked down at Hinata patiently. "The Waltz is supposed to be 'elegant' but really easy. Lotsa really formal ones have you lead your partner out on the floor and bow to them, they curtsy to you, and you get on with it. See, since you'll be leading them, it's like this..." Turning Akaashi's palm up, he deftly laced his tiny fingers in between the gaps.

"We keep the arms kinda parallel, but besides the hands we don't touch. Once you get to a free space, you let go and turn to face them." Haltingly Akaashi did as he was told, feeling stiff. "Good! Uhm, you don't have to be nervous since it's just me. You bow now," Akaashi did, now at eye level with Hinata for a brief second, and smiled at him. Hinata's eyes widened and a small giggle slipped out. "And now I curtsy." Which he did, imaginary poofy skirt swept back and all.

"So... Where do I put my-" His hands were caught by Hinata, easily following their guidance.

"Since you're probably gonna lead... Left hand out, right hand flat on my back. Great, now remember no butt touching, believe me when I say you don't want to learn that the hard way. Let go for a minute," Letting his hands drop, Akaashi watched as Hinata pondered their feet and started to move and mutter. "Left foot forward, now right goes to the side... and left foot goes back beside your right foot..."

It was then Hinata noticed Akaashi was simply staring at his feet with furrowed eyebrows. Glancing back up at him curiously, Hinata squinted.

"It's okay, you can step on my feet. Natsu's done worse on purpose. Give it a try, it'll be alright!"

Akaashi melted a bit with those words, and suddenly he was moving, slowly trying out the steps Hinata mirrored while watching his footwork.

"Great! Now, put your arms where they should be," And it was completely different to be placing his hands on Hinata himself, carefully considering where he was supposed to put them while resisting temptation to drift a little bit lower. Swallowing heavily, he glanced back at Hinata's face for approval. "Good. Now the steps..."

The rest of the lesson went by in a blur of touches and motion and learning how to whirl, marveling in Hinata's laughter as he was spun each time they reached one end of the bench. It was silly to have a simple affection grow into a helpless attachment in a locker room while learning how to waltz for an underclassman, but Akaashi didn't mind it. Not really.

ooo

Their next impromptu lesson was the next day, when they'd both been assigned to help clean up the gym along with Kenma.

Akaashi swallowed around the lump in his throat when he saw how familiar Hinata acted around Kenma, lively and interested and somehow charming the quiet Setter easily. It was too easy to forget that though when Hinata turned to him and did the same thing.

The gym was done surprisingly quickly between the three of them without Kenma goofing off on his PSP, Akaashi having to remain responsible around his team, or Hinata competing with Kageyama. They weren't exactly eager to get back to their loud peers right now anyway, for various reasons.

Hinata's reasons (which Akaashi hadn't the slightest clue as to what they were) were revealed fairly quickly.

"Let's practice, Akaashi!"

"Practice what?" Kenma asked, eyes sliding between the two of them curiously. Akaashi started to flush, trying to hide his embarrassment with a cough.

"I'm teaching Akaashi how to waltz! He's doing pretty well for a complete newbie," Hinata remarked cheerfully as he crowded into Akaashi's space. Relenting quickly, he places his hands where he vaguely remembered Hinata had told him too before.

"And you aren't?" Kenma's low voice snarked as he settled in to watch them. It should have felt unnerving. It did feel a little voyeuristic as Hinata slid a hand behind Akaashi's neck. But it didn't feel... wrong?

"Never know when you'll need to slow dance!"

"So does Akaashi have any particular reason for learning, or...?" What a sly tone. Akaashi however was too used to his team to let one remark trying to get under his skin through.

"My parents are hosting a party this weekend and insisted." Feeling Hinata's hand clench around his neck, Akaashi looked up from their moving feet. A soft smile was his reward.

"Eyes on mine, ok? Don't wanna give someone the wrong idea." There was a hint of fond teasing in those words. All Akaashi could focus on was the colors of his iris and Kenma's soft noise of... agreement? Amusement, more likely.

"The wrong idea... yeah..." Swallowing with a suddenly parched throat, he looked to the left of Hinata's ear.

It felt so much more natural with the empty space of the gym and Kenma's curious gaze following them around. The feeling of leading Hinata around and having him easily comply was heady. The steps were softly repeated in the back of his head, but he didn't have to pay attention to them anymore because he knew what to do now.

If he'd know what to do the night of the party was to be seen, but right here, in the company of Kenma and Hinata, he was able to execute the steps well enough and still have time to think about how nice it would be to have this moment last longer than it could.


End file.
